Dean Walsh determined to take ‘second chance’
Dean Walsh has spent the last two years picking up the tiny pieces of a shattered dream and putting them carefully back together.
The Wexford boxer fell by the wayside in recent years but has managed to get back on track and revive what once looked a dead amateur career.
That path to redemption has led him to the Paris pathway and he is now one big step away from securing an Olympic berth.
The reigning National Elite middleweight champion has been selected on the Irish team to contest the European Games in Poland later this month.
Reach the semi-final and the 28-year-old will make the full transition from yesterday’s forgotten man to Olympian.
The fact his Olympic dream is reborn isn’t lost on him and he goes into the multi-sports tournament determined to make the most of his second chance.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a boy, from the day my Granda Liam explained to me what the Olympic Games meant… And I’ve gotten a second chance to make that dream a reality,” Walsh said speaking online.
“This has been one hell of a journey .I am forever grateful to get back here and look forward to working hard and chasing my dreams .
“A huge shout out to my family, my partner & her family, my club, my coaches,sponsors ,all of Wexford, and, the IABA and Team Ireland for supporting me, without you all it would never be possible. It’s a team effort and what a team I have behind me. It’s hard to put into words what this means to me.”
